462 ON THE PRICE OP FOREIGN PRODUCE. 



of the same century colonial produce, we are told, was alone 

 consumed in England. Under the Commonwealth an excise 

 of five per cent, was levied on sugar, to be paid by the con- 

 sumer. In 1685, his parliament granted James, in addition 

 to the old customs, 2s. ^d. per cwt. for muscovado and Js. the 

 cwt. for sugar fit for use, if from the British plantations ; 

 4s. 8d. the cwt. on Brazilian muscovado, 145. on foreign white, 

 and 2$s. the cwt. on foreign loaf. It appears that by this 

 time refineries had been established in England. 



Sugar of all kinds continues dear for the first seventy years 

 of the period, but rapidly declines in price during the last 

 fifty, especially the refined kind. I have no entries for coarse 

 sugar during the ten years 1673-1682, but on comparing the 

 price of refined I am convinced that it grew cheaper during 

 that time. The increase in price during the last ten years 

 must probably be set down to the risks of war. The duties 

 imposed on sugar in 1685 were remitted in 1693, because it 

 was found that they interfered with the foreign trade of the 

 English refiners and traders. 



In 1605 Lord Spencer buys a considerable quantity of loaf 

 sugar at a very high price, 2s. the pound, under the name of 

 Barbary sugar. Again, what is called ' preserving sugar ' is at 

 a high price in 1633 and 1638. The price begins to fall in 

 1653. I find Lisbon sugar in 1697 among London purchases, 

 the price showing that it was refined ; and in 1698 double 

 refined is at is., and loaf at >]d. In 1702 single refined loaf 

 is led., double refined i s. $d. During the first seventy years 

 the average of inferior sugar is 14^. Q\d. the dozen ; of refined, 

 igs. l\d. During the last fifty, the same qualities and quan- 

 tities are Js. io\d. and us. 4\d. There is no doubt that, as 

 the supply of sugar was increased, the demand for the pro- 

 duce was increased also. Tea, coffee, and chocolate became, 

 in the last forty years of the century, common and favourite 

 beverages, and the use of sugar to sweeten them was as 

 general as the consumption was. 



The growing cheapness of sugar is further illustrated by the 



